Details of Pension and Perks for Retired Chief Justices Revealed

The Ministry of Law and Justice presented a detailed written response in the Senate on Monday, during the question period, outlining the pension and benefits received by a chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) following retirement, along with the entitlements for the widows of these top legal figures.

The Law Minister informed the upper house of Parliament that the pensions for these high-ranking judges had seen an increase from Rs560,000 to Rs2.39 million between 2010 and 2024.

In 2010, the monthly pension for a retired chief justice was Rs560,000, which then grew to Rs644,000 in 2011, Rs773,000 in 2012, Rs850,000 in 2013, Rs935,000 in 2014, Rs1.005 million in 2015, Rs1.105 million in 2016, Rs1.217 million in 2017, and reaching Rs1.338 million in 2018.

By 2021, the pension had reached Rs1.452 million, then Rs1.657 million in 2023, before finally settling at Rs2.39 million in 2024.

The ministry also provided specifics regarding the perks afforded to a CJP’s widow. These include the provision of both a driver and a domestic helper.

Additionally, the benefits package incorporates 2,000 electricity units each month, complimentary water, a monthly allowance of 300 liters of petrol, alongside an exemption from paying income tax.

Last November, the federal government executed a substantial increase in the salaries and allowances for judges of the superior judiciary.

According to the notification released by the Law and Justice Ministry, the house rent allowance for Supreme Court justices was adjusted upwards from Rs68,000 to Rs350,000.

Similarly, the superior judicial allowance granted to these judges was also revised, increasing from Rs428,040 to Rs1,161,163.

Correspondingly, the administration also raised the house rent allowances and judicial allowances for judges serving in the high courts.

The notification specified that the house rent allowance had been raised from Rs65,000 to Rs350,000, while the judicial allowance was augmented from Rs342,431 to Rs1,090,434.